Mercenaria

Mercenaria

Common Name:  Bivalve molluscs, small hard clams

 

Description: 

Shape and Size- Small, oval shaped

Skeleton- Exoskeleton

Symmetry- Bilateral

Features- Able to move freely, but rarely change their locality. The clam secretes enough calcium carbonate to create two plates, one larger than the other. 

Taxonomy: 

Kingdom- Animalia 

Phylum- Mollusca

Class- Bivalvia 

Order- Veneroida 

Family- Veneridae

Genus- Mercenaria 

Ecology:   

Most clams burrow into sand. They burrow as far as their siphons can reach. Adult clams need stimuli to create offspring. The male and female gametes are released through ejection from siphons. Clams are related to scallops and oysters.